Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 8, 1994 TAG: 9406080086
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: C8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Short
Diversified Apparel Resources Inc. said Tuesday it will invest more than $2.5 million in the new plant at Council, an unincorporated community in the southern part of the county near the Buchanan-Dickenson county border.
Isidore Feldman, owner of the company, said it chose a location in Virginia's coalfields for the 24,000-square-foot plant, to be completed by November, because of the availability of a good labor force and strong support from the surrounding community.
The project will be financed by the Virginia Coalfield Economic Development Authority. The Buchanan County Industrial Development Authority will construct the building and lease it to Diversified Apparel.
Special legislation by the General Assembly in the 1980s established the authority to help in the financing of new industry for the coalfields. Mining employment industry was declining and mechanization had increased in what has been that region's major jobs source.
The authority gets its funding for incentives to attract non-coal industry from a part of a coal severance tax allowed coalfield localities by special state legislation.
The state Department of Economic Development will provide assistance in training those hired at the new plant. Production is expected to start before the end of the year.
by CNB